11+ preparation - better at Rowan Prep or Surbiton High School?

[mgoel]

Hello all - we are deciding whether we should send our daughter to Surbiton High or Rowan Prep for Year 3. Our main aim is to prepare her for the 11+ exams to be able to get in LEH/Guildford High / City of London etc. at that stage.

I understand parents have to work with the child to prepare for 11+.

I wanted to kindly get feedback from parents who have first-hand experience of 11+ from either of the schools to see if there are any thoughts around which one may entail less effort from us parents at home?

Surbiton High is an all through school 4-18 isn’t it? Won’t it focus on getting children into its own senior school?

Exactly, that's why I am thinking that DD may be better prepared for 11+ exams at Rowan Prep. However, both schools are owned by United Learning, and if the additional effort from parents is not that different, then it may not be worth the effort. If I could please ask if you have experience of SHS or Rowan Prep please?

I don’t, other than reading these forums! Hopefully someone with insider info will come along shortly….

SHS. Then you've got a back-up plan if the Rowans don't get her where you want to be in time.

You can't really know in Year 3 how things will turn out. Your DD may be very academic - or she may not be.

Wherever you go, you'll need extra hours of tutoring for sure, especially if you're aiming that high.

SHS is good school. Got almost the same results as PHS as last year but with a less pressured environment. No brainer. If you talk to parents as 11+ approaches you'll find that most wish they'd found a through-school from 4-18, such is the pressure on the kids to perform.

My DD went to Rowan and has just finished Sixth form so I'm a few years out. In her year a few were offered places at LEH, more at GHS and lots at SHS. Rowan will identify the schools best suited to your DD and guide you & DD through the process/exams. I wouldn't expect to pay even more money on top of fees for tutoring..
The benefit of SHS is that she can stay on but they do mix up the new intakes and I'd be a bit wary for senior as the school has got very big recently especially for the site.

SHS only prepares the girls for the SHS senior school exam. If you want 11+ prep for other schools you would need to seek tutoring outside of school hours.

Yes as a local parent SHS prep won't prepare your dd for other schools. Rowan is a fantastic prep school but due to its Claygate location tends to send more dd to Guildford high than LEH (as Guildford is on the train line). They are send lots to St John's Leatherhead, Epsom College plus all the girls schools.
The sports grounds are the same for both prep schools so it's really whether you want the hassle of 11plus and where you currently live. Personally I'm not keen on the location of SHS prep with no grass but my dd is at SHS seniors and it's a good all round secondary school and sixth form with excellent exam results and the sporting opportunities incredible.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and views.